This is a WWII Russian infantry mans padded jacket, dyed blue and used by German POWs in Russia.
Whats great is that this jacket is named to Soldat Gerold Freis, a panzergrenadier that joined the German Army in 1941 and captured in Ukraine. He was in a POW camp until 1947 when he died of TB.
is that things like this survived at all. It's a fascinating piece, especially with the history. What's the story on where this has been for the last 60 years, including how you know his story?
The jacket actually came to me from a German collector who had gotten it from the family. When the guy got TB he was allowed in 1947 to go back to eastern Germany (hosipital in eastern Germany); the family got the jacket as part of his stuff in early 1948, right after he died. They kept it and even state they never washed it. It is in very rough shape, but i am glad it was left as is. It even came with what looked like a bedsheet that they had kept it wrapped up in (i think the bed sheet was the familys).
I think its tough to say what it was originally, but i do not smell any gas/chemicals. From what i was told, original khaki ones were dyed blue-grey for POWs. Its a very unknown area of study!
